Renowned Comic Actress Catherine O’Hara Passes Away at 71
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Catherine O’Hara, the lauded Canadian comic actress known for her role as the eccentric Moira Rose in “Schitt’s Creek” and as the frantic mother in “Home Alone,” has died at the age of 71. Her representatives at Creative Artists Agency confirmed her passing at her Los Angeles home after a brief illness.
O’Hara’s career took off in the 1970s with Toronto’s Second City comedy troupe, where she first collaborated with Eugene Levy. Together, they joined the original cast of “SCTV,” a sketch show that became a launchpad for talents like Martin Short and John Candy. Her work on the show earned her an Emmy for writing.
Decades later, O’Hara claimed another Emmy for her portrayal of Moira Rose on “Schitt’s Creek,” a series created by Eugene Levy and his son, Dan. The show, which depicted a wealthy family’s fall from grace, gained immense popularity, especially in its final season, cementing O’Hara’s status as a cultural icon.
O’Hara described her “Schitt’s Creek” character to The Associated Press as a former soap star who married well and wanted to remind others of her uniqueness. Her character’s distinctive speech, filled with uncommon words, was a hallmark of Moira’s persona. O’Hara meticulously tailored her dialogue using old vocabulary books.
Her portrayal earned her a Golden Globe and two SAG Awards. Despite initial challenges in Hollywood, O’Hara found success with roles in films like Martin Scorsese’s “After Hours” and Tim Burton’s “Beetlejuice,” the latter of which she would reprise in a 2024 sequel.
O’Hara’s role in “Home Alone” as Kevin’s mother brought her widespread recognition, with the films becoming holiday classics. The success of “Home Alone” did not lead to a slew of major Hollywood roles, but O’Hara thrived in Christopher Guest’s mockumentaries, including “Best in Show” and “A Mighty Wind.”
Tributes poured in from across the entertainment world. Macaulay Culkin, her “Home Alone” co-star, expressed his grief on Instagram: “Mama, I thought we had time,” he wrote, sharing images from the film. Actress Meryl Streep praised O’Hara for bringing “love and light to our world.”
O’Hara’s roots trace back to Toronto, where she was born into a large Irish Catholic family. She honed her craft at Second City, initially as Gilda Radner’s understudy, and briefly joined “Saturday Night Live,” though she never appeared on air.
In her later years, O’Hara continued to garner acclaim with roles in “The Studio” alongside Seth Rogen and on HBO’s “The Last of Us,” earning further Emmy nominations. Pedro Pascal, her co-star, shared his gratitude on Instagram, acknowledging the impact of her presence.
O’Hara is survived by her husband, Bo Welch, their sons Matthew and Luke, and her siblings.
